In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the US Open, the USTA has introduced a new logo for the event, designed to launch America’s Grand Slam toward its next 50 years.

The logo, created by renowned graphic design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, is a streamlined and modernized version of the tournament’s iconic flaming ball logo, which was first introduced in 1997. This new logo was designed to create a visual identity for the tournament that will last far into the future.

“The new logo is bold and energetic and better captures and expresses the dynamism of the US Open,” said USTA Chief Marketing Officer Amy Choyne. “We have enjoyed 50 years of greatness, and our new visual identity will better carry us forward for the next 50 years.”

"This year's US Open is almost a new experience with the Louis Armstrong Stadium completion," added Nicole Kankam, Managing Director of Marketing at the USTA. "So it will feel like a new venue, a new site, a new experience, and I think the logo will be a great depiction of that."

A full line of products featuring the new logo will be available this spring and summer, and the USTA is also working with its licensees to create specific 50th Anniversary merchandise and products.

“This is a true milestone year for the USTA and the US Open,” said Katrina Adams, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “With the completion of our five-year transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we are now positioned to celebrate our tremendous history, while being poised for future growth."

The 2018 US Open begins on Monday, Aug. 27, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 9. A full schedule of US Open 50th Anniversary events will be released this summer.

A warning to Rafael Nadal and other notorious tennis procrastinators: The dawdling days of time-wasting between points and games are coming to an end, at least at Flushing Meadows.

The United States Open will use a 25-second serve clock at this year’s event, which will be the first time such a system will be deployed in the main draw at a major tennis tournament.

Players will now have 25 seconds from the end of a point to serve for the next one. If they don’t, they will face the consequences: The first violation will incur a warning, followed by the loss of a point and then the loss of a game.

The U.S. Open will also enforce a seven-minute warm-up period before each match to ensure they start on time. Players will have one minute from the time they walk on court to meet at the net for the coin flip. Then they will have five minutes to warm up and another minute before the first serve. Violators could be fined $20,000.

Tennis is not the only sports seeking to speed up play. Major League Baseball has implemented a clock to limit the time between half-innings and has also restricted the number of mound visits allowed during games. M.L.B. is also interested in introducing a pitch clock similar to tennis’s serve clock. And the N.F.L. has tinkered with the number of commercial breaks and standardized the length of halftime.

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“Pace of play is a major issue in sports today,” said Chris Widmaier, a spokesman for the United States Tennis Association, which owns the U.S. Open. “We recognize that and we want to be ahead of it.”

The U.S. Open experimented with the serve clock during last year’s non-main draw events, like the qualifying and juniors competitions. According to Widmaier, there were no major issues, other than minor grumbles, mostly from losing players.

Technically there was already a time limit in place: players at Grand Slam events were given only 20 seconds between points (25 seconds at other tour events). But that clock was only seen by the chair umpire and the rule was rarely, if ever, enforced, especially against top players.

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Now an on-court clock will be visible to players and spectators alike, similar to the shot clock in basketball and the play clock in football. An extra five seconds will be granted to allow players to adjust to the new format, but it will be strictly enforced.

The chair umpire will run the 25-second clock and will be given leeway to delay the start of it in certain situations: after a particularly long point late in a grueling match, in hot and steamy conditions, or if there is a fan disturbance, for example.

Last year, the U.S. Open also experimented with coaching from the stands in the non-main draw events, but that innovation, which is allowed in certain smaller tournaments, is not expected to be implemented for the main draw. The Grand Slam Board, which consists of representatives of all four major tournaments, must approve all rule changes to any of the four events, and Wimbledon is resistant to coaching from the stands.

Nadal, with his constant fidgeting and ball bouncing, is considered to be among the most egregious time-wasters in the professional game, but he is not alone. Novak Djokovic has also been accused of being overly deliberate during matches. During the ATP Finals in London last November, Nadal made it clear he was not a fan of the new measures.

“I believe it is not something that is good for the future of the tour,” he told reporters, and added: “For me personally, I am not worried at all. I don’t want to play for 10 more years. I can adapt easily to that.”

If the serve clock goes smoothly at the U.S. Open, the other three major tournaments — the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon — could introduce it at their events in the future.

This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Open, we’re counting down the 50 most memorable moments in the history of America’s Grand Slam. Today, we take a look back at No. 20.

When Arthur Ashe Stadium was built in time for the 1997 US Open, the soaring new structure seating about 23,000 spectators gave the tournament a new identity. But, with the passage of time, as unsettled weather kept disrupting the tournament schedule and dampening the spirits of the spectators, a plan was put in place to erect a roof over Ashe Stadium to modernize the facility and protect both the fans and the players.

That roof was unveiled in 2016, much to the delight of longtime US Open followers. Moreover, the players predominantly liked the security of the roof. Only a year before, the Novak Djokovic-Roger Federer final was delayed three hours by rain. But now the roof meant that the show would go on as planned, precisely on schedule, in timely fashion.

The first player to officially hit a tennis ball in an official match with the retractable roof closed was none other than Rafael Nadal, the popular Spaniard who had already secured two of his three titles.

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Nadal spoke in glowing terms about the importance of the roof for all of the entities in tennis. He said, “It is an amazing job the USTA did. I think it is a great improvement for everybody, for the players, for the fans who are visiting Flushing Meadows, and for sure for the people who are following the tournament on the television.”

Meanwhile, a new and larger Grandstand opened up, and it was an enormously appealing meeting place for fans all through the tournament. Some observers missed the old Grandstand that had showcased so many memorable skirmishes over the previous 38 years, but the new Grandstand immediately captured the hearts of spectators who wanted something newer and more spacious as a gathering ground to sit and enjoy the game.

Moreover, wider walkways were installed on the grounds, making it more festive for fans wandering all over the facility. The year 2016 will be remembered as a time of critical transition for the US Open.

Join the celebration. Share your favorite on/off-court moments from the US Open using hashtag #USOpen50, and be sure to tag @usopen to be featured here.

This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Open, we’re counting down the 50 most memorable moments in the history of America’s Grand Slam. Today, we take a look back at No. 19.

The iconic Americans Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had first gone to battle against each other at the US Open in 1990, when the No. 12 seed Sampras engineered a major upset by ousting Agassi in a straight-sets final to become the youngest-ever men’s singles victor at 19. Again they collided in the 1995 final-round contest, and Sampras succeeded once more, toppling his charismatic rival in a four-set encounter between the sport’s two finest players. They would meet again in 2002, as Sampras concluded a sterling career by halting Agassi in another crackling four-set final.

But no Sampras-Agassi clash in their entire 1989-2002 series surpassed their 2001 quarterfinal under the lights on a still and idyllic evening in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The two players were, presumably, slightly past their primes as they walked onto the court for this meeting. Agassi was playing the better tennis in the months leading up to this showdown. He was the No. 2 seed, while Sampras, mired in a slump, was No. 10.

Here were the two greatest American players of their era fighting it out in the New York night, and one of them was not going to make it to the semifinals. That alone made the match incredibly enticing. Their battles always presented a fascinating contrast in styles, with Sampras, the quintessential serve-and-volleyer, coming relentlessly at Agassi, the masterful backcourt player. Sampras had the best serve in tennis; Agassi possessed the finest return.

Yet, Sampras was 30, and Agassi one year older. They were no longer supposed to be what they once were. But time was suspended on this celebratory evening. The two players turned the clock back significantly and produced a masterpiece. Neither man broke serve in four scintillating sets. Every set was settled in a tiebreak. The shotmaking was almost out of this world. It really was the stuff of dreams.

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Sampras led 6-3 in the first-set tiebreak, poised at triple set point to move out in front. But Agassi struck back boldly to win that set. Sampras decisively controlled the next two tiebreaks with stupendous serving, and on they went to 6-6 in the fourth set. Before that last tiebreak, the fans showered both players with a well-deserved standing ovation that transcended this magical night; the sustained applause was a tribute to the two champions for the scope and breadth of their careers.

Sampras took that sequence to complete a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) triumph that would live irrevocably in the hearts and minds of all who witnessed the spectacle. It was arguably the best match ever played at the US Open.

“That’s about as good as it gets—playing the best at the US Open in a night match with a phenomenal atmosphere,” said a gratified Sampras when it was over.

He had already ousted 1997-98 Open champion Patrick Rafter, and, in the semifinals, would stop Marat Safin, the swashbuckling Russian who had beaten him in the 2000 final. Sampras would run out of emotional energy and physical resources, as Lleyton Hewitt defeated him in the final. But defeat at the final hurdle could not spoil a spectacular and unforgettable run.

Join the celebration. Share your favorite on/off-court moments from the US Open using hashtag #USOpen50, and be sure to tag @usopen to be featured here.

Louis Armstrong Stadium is going to exceed everyone's expectations.
That was the message delivered by USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Chief Operating Officer Danny Zausner at a media preview of the new stadium on Thursday.
Members of the press were invited to the tennis center in Flushing, N.Y., to check in on the progress of the construction and to get a first-hand feel of what it will be like for players and fans.
Reporters, news crews and photographers were invited to a presentation and tour of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the first public media event dedicated to the new arena.
Writers got the chance to step inside the lower bowl to get a feeling of what the players will see and experience when they walk onto the court, and they visited the lower concourse and upper deck to see the stadium through the eyes of a fan.
The 2018 US Open takes place Aug. 27-Sept. 9, with the US Open Qualifying Tournament and Fan Week scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 21.
That means we are less than 100 days until fans will be visiting Flushing Meadows for the final Grand Slam of the year.
Work on the new stadium will be completed within the next 10 weeks, according to Zausner, who was one of three people to speak with the media, alongside USTA President and Chairman of the Board Katrina Adams and Rossetti President and CEO Matt Rossetti, the lead architecture firm behind the design.
The opening of Louis Armstrong Stadium will also bring to completion the five-year, $600 million strategic transformation of the tennis center. In total, around 85 percent of the grounds has been improved over the past five years, headlined by the addition of a retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium and a new 8,125-seat Grandstand Stadium.
“We started really strong with the transformation with the Ashe roof and the Grandstand and the south campus,” Zausner said. “Now we’re ending strong. They’ve been bookend projects, and they’ll distinguish the site in a whole new way.”
The last piece of the puzzle is Louis Armstrong Stadium and that is nearing completion, too.

The biggest of the construction cranes left the site more than six weeks ago. The steel framework of the stadium and retractable roof was in place months before that, and the pre-cast concrete seating bowls were installed earlier this spring.
The fabric for the roof is currently being installed and should be completed within the next month. For this to happen, the roof will need to be shut manually; the first test of the electronic opening and closing mechanism is likely to take place in early July.
There are now between 250 and 350 construction workers on site each day putting finishing touches to various elements of the stadium, both public-facing and behind-the-scenes.
"The new 14,000-seat Armstrong with its built-in retractable roof gives the US Open a second stage that is second to none," Adams said. "[It allows] us to present a reliable and predictable schedule that will be unaltraed by weather. Now, with two stadiums with roofs, you know that if you've got a ticket to the US Open, you're going to see tennis regardless of the weather conditions."
The physical structure of the stadium is now 95 percent complete, meaning teams of mechanics, electricians and plumbers can work throughout the concourses, concession areas and bathrooms that encompass the entire stadium. Simultaneously, crews are creating the new broadcast booths and commissary kitchens.
Over the next 30 days, workers will continue installing the seats inside the stadium and the glass windows that will make up the front of the retail stores on the first floor of the building. Polo Ralph Lauren, Wilson, adidas and the US Open Collection will have a retail presence downstairs, while Amex will have a hospitality space on the second floor. It’s anticipated that each partner will begin arriving to start furnishing their space from the middle of June.
“We have known what this building will look like from a design standpoint, but to bring partners in and show them what we have only been able to show them in renderings is a great moment for us,” Zausner said. “You can only see so much from a picture.”
The stadium was built on roughly the same footprint of the former Louis Armstrong and Grandstand courts. Visitors to the US Open will recall that the former Louis Armstrong Stadium was last used at the 2016 tournament and then demolished just days after the 2016 champions had been crowned.
Last year, a temporary 8,000-seat stadium was erected next to the construction site while work on the new stadium was underway. That, too, is now gone, leaving just the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, which is set to be both a fan favorite and engineering marvel.
It features 14,000 seats, almost 40 percent more than the 10,200 capacity of the previous stadium of the same name, as well as an innovative design to keep fans cool and dry. A total of 7,400 seats in the upper bowl will be general admission, with the other 6,600 seats in the lower bowl reserved for Louis Armstrong Stadium ticket holders.
The stadium will have a retractable roof – the largest second stadium with a roof at the Grand Slam level – in addition to natural ventilation that encourages air flow throughout the entire stadium. Through its design, it will be the first naturally ventilated tennis stadium with a retractable roof in the world.
The way it works is that thousands of angled, overlapping terra cotta panels have been installed on the north and south sides of the stadium. Think of them as giant, horizontal window blinds that block out part of the sun.
These louvers, all 14,250 of them, which make up part of the wall of two sides of Louis Armstrong Stadium, act in much the same way. They keep driving rain and some direct sunlight out, while still allowing for fresh air to come through and ventilate the seating bowls. Even with the roof closed, fresh air will still circulate around both the upper and lower seating bowl. The roof will essentially act like an umbrella, providing protection from the rain but allowing free airflow underneath.
"For us, the completion of the new Louis Armstrong Stadium also represents a crescendo of almost a decade of working together, master planning and design that transforms literally every inch of 42 acres of this campus into one of the greatest spectacles in the world of sports," Rossetti said. "It's amazing."
Added Zausner: "We're going to create all new memories for people. There's going to be a certain wow factor when you come in through our East Gate, the wow of the building is not just that it's big but that it's special. ... It is a gorgeous building, and I think it will greatly exceed everyone’s expectations, from players, fans and partners to everyone in between. I think it will be a home run.”

2018 US Open Offers Highest Prize Money in History of the Sport as Total Compensation Hits $53 Million

Spoiler:

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 17, 2018 – The USTA today announced that the prize money for the 2018 US Open will be at a record high of $53 million, maintaining the US Open as the richest purse in tennis history. Prize money at the US Open has increased by 57% since 2013. 2018 marks the 45th Anniversary of equal prize money which was the first tournament to offer equal prize money to men and women competitors in 1973.

Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will earn $3.8 million, the largest payout in US Open history. Similar to the past three years, the USTA is improving the payouts for the first three rounds of the tournament to drive more of the increases to the majority of the players. Both the men’s and women’s doubles champion teams will earn $700,000, the highest in US Open history. The US Open Qualifying Tournament will offer more than $3 million in prize money for the first time.

Round-by-round individual prize money for the US Open is as follows:

“2018 is a significant year in our history,” said USTA Chairman of the Board and President Katrina Adams. “Not only is it the 50th Anniversary of the tournament, we also have completed the five- year transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. We know that we are poised for incredible growth moving forward.”

This year’s tournament marks the 50th Anniversary of the US Open. The USTA will celebrate its history with special recognitions and celebrate the tournament’s great champions over the course of the entire event. In addition, the 2018 US Open marks the completion of the Strategic Transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with the opening of the new 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium. In all, the five-year project, which revamped more than 90 percent of the facility, will have incorporated the installation of a retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, the construction of a new Louis Armstrong Stadium (also with a retractable roof), a new Grandstand, new West Stadium and practice courts, as well as a completely renovated and redesigned southern campus.

The US Open is scheduled for August 27 through September 9, with the US Open Qualifying Tournament beginning on August 21.